


Signs of Echoes Fading

by Glass_O_Lemonade



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Drug Addiction, No Apocalypse, One Shot, Post-Canon, Post-Season/Series 01
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-21
Updated: 2019-04-21
Packaged: 2020-01-23 12:03:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 637
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18549388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Glass_O_Lemonade/pseuds/Glass_O_Lemonade
Summary: Three brief scenes written from Five’s perspective.Inspired by siriuspiggyback’s “Counting Down the Days to Go.” Title inspired by Paramore’s “In the Mourning.” Warning included due to subject matter and plot of CDtDtG.





	Signs of Echoes Fading

**Author's Note:**

  * For [siriuspiggyback](https://archiveofourown.org/users/siriuspiggyback/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Counting Down The Days To Go](https://archiveofourown.org/works/18454886) by [siriuspiggyback](https://archiveofourown.org/users/siriuspiggyback/pseuds/siriuspiggyback). 



> Inspired by siriuspiggyback’s fic, “Counting Down the Days to Go.” Link included above and in the end notes. Title inspired by a line from Paramore’s “In the Mourning.”
> 
> I debated whether or not to attempt writing anything for CDtDtG, but I reread the lovely response siriuspiggyback left me on the comment I posted asking for their permission. When I sent that days ago, I wasn’t even positive then if I would actually eventually write something. However, I didn’t want to disappoint siriuspiggyback, and with CDtDtG coming to an end soon, I felt better posting something now than afterwards. In the end, I’m glad I decided to write this little one-shot, and I hope you each enjoy.
> 
> ~Thank you siriuspiggyback for letting me briefly into your ‘verse. I greatly appreciated your time and input while writing this. This one’s for you.~

Over his life, Five grew attuned to noticing the slightest of behaviors, specifically uncharacteristic ones. However, what catches his attention this particular time is his brother’s eerily familiar actions.

Following the averted apocalypse Klaus got sober. It wasn’t easy, but he’d accomplished sobriety for a few days, then a week, then a month. After that, it was less of a big deal. Klaus’ daily sobriety became a fact Five presumed was still true. No longer something he had to see to believe. Not to say there weren’t bad days. After all, they each had their own versions of those, their own personal vices. But even with low days, Klaus attempted to reach out to one of them, fought through the withdrawal and remained clean another day. Five thought he could finally lay his worries to rest (or at the least place on hold for an indefinite amount of time.)

Then came their family mealtimes.

Klaus looked _different_. Began to eat less. One week they passed on the stairs, and Five couldn’t help but get the sense that his brother hadn’t wanted to be seen heading out. There were other small, odd things, in addition to those which made him grow concerned, suspicious. Five doubts his siblings have noticed any of these warning signs quite yet.

When Five spies the fresh bruise in the crook of Klaus’ arm, he mentally curses himself for ever thinking he could keep his eyes off one of his siblings for even a day.

* * *

Five knew two things. 1) Klaus hadn’t been home for days, despite Diego’s claims. 2) Diego knew more than he was willing to tell them.

He thought back to Luther’s blunt question dinners ago, the bruise and prick mark in Klaus’ arm.

He isn’t the only one fed up with being left in the dark. When the idea is suggested to snoop through Klaus’ room, he and Allison and Luther are in agreement.

They do it once they know Diego’s left the academy. To where, who knew. Five highly doubts he’d tell them anyways.

Before he can step into Klaus’ bedroom, a hand grips his collar. The hold’s not tight, just a nuisance. Five stops in place, frowns at his sister’s intervention. Noticing he stopped walking and wasn’t about to teleport away, Vanya lets go of his shirt. He turns to face her.

“Five, don’t do this. If we wait for Klaus to return, we can ask him together as a family.” Five glares at that, but she continues her final plea. “If you’re certain Diego knows something, then maybe it’s just a matter of time before Klaus tells us, too.”

“I’ve given him time. We all have.”

“Five-”

He shakes his head, mind set. “You can stand here, Vanya, and wait, but I’m getting answers.”

* * *

The last time Five saw the ocean, he was with Dolores. As he teleports himself into the shallows, he’s reminded of Dolores’ joy from their excursion. He hopes Ben’s as happy now as she was then.

Throughout the apocalypse he never once thought he’d eventually visit again with his siblings, even less with all six of them. After reading Vanya’s book and arriving in a time post-Ben’s death... He gave up on ever seeing his brother again. Accepted reality for what it was. Cruel.

When Klaus and Vanya join them in the water, he turns to face them. A blue glow covers Klaus’ hands and Five _knows_. He starts to wade closer before his brother’s made fully corporeal.

_Ben’s there._

Five reaches out a hand, feels solid flesh beneath his fingers. Something small shatters itself inside him, mends itself back together, _becomes whole_.

All those years away, fighting to survive... he never thought he’d get this chance again. Five briefly wonders if Ben ever felt the same about him.

_“Hi, Ben.”_

_“Hi, Five.”_

**Author's Note:**

> siriuspiggyback’s “Counting Down the Days to Go”  
> https://archiveofourown.org/works/18454886/chapters/43722026


End file.
